Researchers reported the death of a 47-year-old man in New Jersey, the first attributed to alpha-gal syndrome. The case highlights the severity of the syndrome, associated with bites from the Lone Star tick, which was first discovered in 2011.
Since 2010, it is estimated that more than 100,000 people in the United States have developed an allergy to red meat due to alpha-gal syndrome.
Some outside experts say this appears to be the first documented case of someone suffering a fatal reaction to alpha-gal shortly after eating meat, review Associated Press (AP). They also suggest that deaths may have been misdiagnosed in the past.
Other deaths may have occurred, but they were attributed to other causes and not thoroughly investigated like this one, said Joshua Benoit, a tick biologist at the University of Cincinnati.
Alpha-gal syndrome
The syndrome manifests itself with symptoms such as hives, nausea, vomiting and difficulty breathing, which can occur hours after consuming meat. The importance of proper diagnosis to prevent fatalities is emphasized.
Symptoms usually appear between 2 and 6 hours after consuming foods that contain the alpha-gal molecule, mainly red meat and sometimes dairy products. In severe cases, anaphylaxis, which is a life-threatening allergic reaction, may occur.
In the long term, symptoms may vary. Some people may have decreased sensitivity and symptoms improve or disappear if they avoid further bites from ticks that transmit alpha-gal.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched an online training module to increase awareness of alpha-gal syndrome and improve diagnosis. The growing presence of the Lone Star tick and its impact on public health requires continued attention and education.
However, they stated that the agency is not involved in this investigation and cannot say with certainty whether this is the first death of its kind.
Effective treatments
There are effective treatments for those diagnosed with a red meat allergy due to alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), although there is no definitive cure.
The main strategy is to completely avoid the consumption of red meat and other mammalian products that contain the sugar alpha-gal to prevent allergic reactions.
Additionally, antihistamines are often prescribed to control mild symptoms and self-injectable epinephrine (such as EpiPen) for emergencies in case of severe allergic reactions or anaphylaxis.
Some emerging treatments include oral immunotherapy and omalizumab, as well as alternative therapies such as auriculotherapy (SAAT), which has shown promising results in prolonged remission of symptoms without major adverse reactions.
For now, management is based on prevention of exposure to the allergen and preparation to treat unexpected reactions, although research into nanoparticles to block allergy is in experimental development, mainly in animal models.
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